Seòmar agus comataidhean

Further to the response provided to the answer to question S5W-03315 on 18 October 2016, it is for local authorities and schools, in partnership with their NHS Board and wider school communities, to identify their priorities for learning and health promotion. This may include learning and awareness raising about rare diseases.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

Health and wellbeing in Curriculum for Excellence is the responsibility of all school staff and promotes pupils' understanding of their own health and wellbeing.

Schools and local authorities are required to ensure that health promotion is at the heart of a school’s activities by the Schools (Health Promotion and Nutrition) (Scotland) Act 2007. A school is health promoting if it provides activities, environment and facilities which promote physical, social, mental and emotional health and wellbeing of pupils. It is for local authorities and schools, in partnership with the NHS Board and wider school communities, to identify their priorities for learning and health promotion. This may include learning about sun safety and the promotion of the use of sunscreen.

Guidance on the Administration of Medicines in Schools, was published in 2001 to support NHS boards, education authorities and schools to develop policies on managing healthcare needs in schools, including individual healthcare planning. These policies may include the use of sunscreen in schools. The Scottish Government intends to consult on new guidance on supporting the healthcare needs of children and young people in schools later this year.

The Scottish Stroke Care Audit (SSCA) is managed by Information and Statistics Division (ISD) Scotland under that name. The Scottish Stroke Care Audit Annual Report was renamed as the Scottish Stroke Improvement Programme Report to reflect the inclusion of reporting on the quality improvement priorities in the Stroke Improvement Plan (2014) in addition to the stroke data measured against the Scottish Stroke Standards. Reporting on the actions in the Stroke Improvement Plan are closely monitored by the National Advisory Committee for Stroke.

The Scottish Government's Stroke Improvement Plan (2014) sets out actions and priorities which aim to improve the experience and clinical outcomes for patients living with stroke across Scotland by supporting the community to adopt a seamless approach to the delivery of care across the recognised pathway for stroke for all patients regardless of where they live or are treated in Scotland.

The Scottish Stroke Improvement Plan Lead and Scottish Stroke Care Audit (SSCA) National Clinical Coordinator continue to work closely with each Health board’s stroke Managed Clinical Network (MCN) to ensure that the key priorities from the Stroke Improvement Plan and the Scottish Stroke Care Standards are implemented and monitored. This involves supporting the MCN in taking forward improvements through coaching and developing mechanisms for improving local services. The Improvement Plan Lead and SSCA Coordinator visit all Health boards at least once per year facilitating a formal Health board Annual Review Meeting to assess performance, discuss where standards are not being met and formulate an improvement plan with clearly identified actions where necessary. Data is reviewed six monthly and where necessary, a walkthrough of the patient pathway is conducted to identify areas where improvements in care can be made.

The Scottish Stroke Improvement Programme report published on 12 July contains data collected on stroke rehabilitation. From November 2015 to January 2016 a rehabilitation sprint audit was conducted in all acute and integrated stroke units and is again a focus for the Scottish Stroke Care Audit in 2016. The Stroke Improvement Plan, published in 2014 contains priorities on services focussed on transition to the community as well as supported self-management and living with stroke. Progress on the status of each NHS Board in relation to the priorities and actions in the improvement plan is closely monitored by the National Advisory Committee for Stroke.

A variety of funding sources are available for charitable trusts and other bodies to upgrade and carry out maintenance on public footpaths.

Grants to support the costs of the maintenance of urban public amenity areas in existing woodlands are available under the ‘Sustainable Management of Forests – Public Access’ option under the Woods In and Around Towns scheme, which is part of the Scottish Rural Development Programme (SRDP). Details can be found at the following link: https://www.ruralpayments.org/publicsite/futures/topics/all-schemes/forestry-grant-scheme/sustainable-management-of-forests/public-access-woods-in-and-around-towns/.

In addition, the improving public access fund, which is part of the SRDP Agri-Environment-Climate Scheme, aims to support new and upgraded paths for public use: (https://www.ruralpayments.org/publicsite/futures/topics/all-schemes/agri-environment-climate-scheme/management-options-and-capital-items/improving-public-access/).

Scottish Natural Heritage has provided funding to support Paths for All to run a community grant scheme and Volunteering Matters to run an ‘Action Earth’ grants scheme. The Paths for All Community Paths Grants scheme is now closed for 2016 but offered up to £1,500 to help community groups maintain, as well as improve and promote, their local community paths: (http://www.pathsforall.org.uk/pfa/support/community-path-grants.html).

‘Action Earth’ grants range from £50 to £250 (up to £500 on a Local Nature Reserve) to purchase tools and materials or to cover volunteer expenses, for practical activities that involve volunteers in improving outdoor spaces: (http://www.communityscot.org.uk/news/article/action-earth-grab-grant/).

The Scottish Government want all children and young people to receive the support that they need to reach their full learning potential. This includes support when sitting exams and support for young people planning to enter the workforce.

For young people with an additional support need such as Asperger's who are sitting exams, a request can be made to the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) for reasonable adjustments to be made to remove barriers or mitigate adverse impacts. Responsibility for making such a request falls to the responsible body involved, as teachers are best placed to assess the specific needs of each young person. Where a request for an adjustment is made, the SQA will determine whether it is reasonable, based on individual need and on the need to maintain the standard and integrity of the qualification.

The Scottish Government, working in partnership with other agencies, has developed a number of strategies to improve the readiness of young people, including those with Asperger's, to join the workforce. The Scottish government also provides funding for a range of organisations that specialise in providing employment support for people with Autism.

The Joint Housing Policy and Delivery Group includes representatives from 28 national housing related organisations. The Group offers Ministers advice on national strategic policy and delivery issues relating to housing. Members of the Joint Housing Policy and Delivery Group are expected to declare any conflicts of interest with respect to any topic being discussed by the Group. Specific housing developments are not discussed in the Group.

In the few cases where ministers intervene by recommending call-in of planning applications the reasons are publicly available. It is part of the day to day operation of the planning service that stakeholders, including government, communicate and it would not be practical to record and publish every case where there is discussion with government or its agencies. It would be for the planning authority in reporting to its Planning Committee to reflect any brokerage discussion relevant to the progress of any particular planning application and that would be both a proportionate and transparent reflection open to planning authorities.